Becoming Bella
by stephabella
Summary: A short story about what happens when a soon to be wed Bella sets up a hot surprise for her future husband. Rated M for language.
1. Chapter 1

**Becoming Bella**

**Chapter One**

**Disclaimer: Twilight and it's characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. This story however, is mine, and all similarities to real persons are just that, similarities. Please feel free to review or not, I just love reading and writing. Hope you enjoy this journey with me!**

**P/S This will be kind of drabble-ish, just a quick word of warning!**

Bella Black.

Bella Swan-Black

Isabella Swan-Black.

_Nah._ Just Bella Black. I liked the sound of that.

In just one more week, I would forever be known as Bella Black, Jacob Blacks wife.

It was inevitable that it would happen; since junior year of high school, it had always been Bella and Jake- Jake and Bella.

Jake was the local sports hero, captain of the football team and record holder in the 200-meter race on the track team. Jake was bound and determined to find some way out of our small town using his God-given talents; he knew he didn't have the book smarts to make it any other way. Pushing his body to its limits, he found his way out to become the best quarterback the Seahawks had seen in decades.

My way out was using my brain, and that's how I found myself at twenty-eight, associate editor of "_Have Spoon, Will Travel"_, the leading food-travel magazine in the Pacific Northwest based here in Seattle.

My travels took me to faraway places like Indonesia, China and Japan; I had seen the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa, but nothing compared to coming home and seeing the Space Needle lit up at night as it welcomed me home to Jake.

Tonight was Jake's bachelor party. My best friend Alice and I had devised a sort of _surprise_ for Jake at their last stop. They would be ending up at "_Lucky's"_, the burlesque club Alice co-owned with her husband, Jasper and her brother, Edward. Most women probably wouldn't appreciate their future husbands spending a night out with his buddies at a burlesque club, but I didn't mind. I had complete trust that Jasper and Edward wouldn't let anything get out of hand.


	2. Chapter 2

**Becoming Bella**

**Chapter Two**

**Disclaimer: Twilight and it's characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. This story however, is mine, and all similarities to real persons are just that, similarities. Please feel free to review or not, I just love reading and writing. Hope you enjoy this journey with me!**

"Hey, Bella. I hope you don't mind, but I'm sending Edward over with your stuff for tonight."

Turning away from examining myself in the bathroom mirror, I sighed with resignation.

"Alice, I don't think this is a very good idea. As a matter of fact it's a terrible, horrible idea."

Alice sighed from the other end of the phone. "Bella, this is a fantastic idea; probably one of the best I've ever had! Jake's not gonna know what hit him! He'll be worshipping at your feet for the next fifty years for this!"

Now it was my turn to sigh. "Alice, this is stupid. Why would any red-blooded American male want to see a girl like me up there? The whole reason they go to those places is to fulfill some fantasy of what the woman of their dreams should look like and I'm just... _not it_."

"Christ, Bella!" Alice exclaimed. "Why wouldn't Jake like it? Besides, you _are_ the woman of his dreams. Why else would he have been hounding you for the last three years to get married in the first place? If he didn't want to spend the rest of forever with you, he would have left – like - a billion years ago! Now quit staring at yourself in that mirror, 'cuz I know that's exactly what you're doing, and get your hair and makeup done; I'll be there by nine to pick you up. Edward will be there in a few."

Fortunately, my makeup was already finished, so after hanging up with Alice, I finished drying my hair and putting it up. The idea was that during my flirty little tease for Jake, I'd pull the pins out and let my hair fall around us at the end and give him a kiss. He always liked my hair down; he said it didn't make my face look so round.

_Round_.

I pushed my fingers into my chubby cheeks and gave a little bounce to check out the jiggle-twins. Yep, still _bouncy_ as ever. Putting on a few pounds each year was a job hazard, but Jake never complained about the extra weight; he said it was just more of me to love and that he loved that there were more of my breasts and hips for him to hold on to… More cushion for the pushin', he said.

_Whatever._

If I could just lose this extra weight that I kept putting on… I didn't need to be Kate Moss skinny, but maybe Christina Hendricks or Kate Winslet? Was that really too much to ask?


	3. Chapter 3

**Becoming Bella**

**Chapter Three**

**Disclaimer: Twilight and it's characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. This story however, is mine, and all similarities to real persons are just that, similarities. Please feel free to review or not, I just love reading and writing. Hope you enjoy this journey with me!**

**P/S I'm posting this a day early, because the whole family (including Grams and her pink wheelchair!) are off to visit the happiest place on Earth tomorrow. Enjoy! This one's a bit longer, and we get to meet Edward!**

"Bella, Bella are you in there? It's Edward!"

With a resounding sigh, I opened the door to Edward's incessant knocking.

"Alice sent me over to…"

Upon answering the door, wrapped in my fuzzy green bathrobe no less, Edward stopped midsentence.

"Wow… Bella… I've never seen you with your hair up before… You look great!"

"Thanks," I muttered. Staring at the small, _very small_, boutique bag Edward was dangling from his index finger I managed to squeak out, "Is that all of it?"

"Yeah," he said hesitantly, "this is it. Can I come in? It's a little chilly out here tonight."

Ushering him in, I quickly shut the door behind him, keeping the looming storm out.

I'd known Edward practically my whole life, as long as I'd known Alice. He was Alice's big brother and I'd had a crush on him pretty much since we'd first met when I was in pre-school with Alice. He was two years older than us; my mom and Alice both used to tease me about my penchant for older men. The problem was Edward never looked at me the way I looked at him. But he always acted as my big brother, my protector, taking care of the bullies at school when they'd tease me for being a chubby nerd. Of course, his always running in to save the damsel in distress on his white horse didn't help one bit to deter me from lusting after him, even into high school - until Jake started to pay attention.

Edward cleared his throat, handed me the bag and looking very uncomfortable kept rubbing his hands together to warm them from the cold.

"Um, Alice said the garters and stockings are on the bottom, and the mask is on top." He rolled his eyes as if looking for salvation from his sister's instructions. "Um, she also said to remember that the seams go in the back, and that the clips for the garter go on the front and back of the stockings." A serious case of the blushes started to creep across his face as he started running his free hand through his hair. "Oh, here's the top hat you're supposed to wear too," he said handing it to me.

"Thanks," I said, feeling a creeping blush now starting to cross _my_ face. "Um, are you working tonight?"

"Nah, but Jake asked me to come along with him tonight… If you don't mind" he said hesitantly.

"No that's fine; just don't laugh when you see me jiggling around like a scary clown up there, okay?"

"Nervous?"

"Yeah, you could say that."

"Look, you and Alice have been practicing right?"

"Well… yeah?"

"Then you'll be fine. And just for the record, I caught a glimpse of you practicing last night… it was good, real good!"

I slapped a hand over my face in mortification. "Oh my god, I'm going to die… you saw that? I must have fallen about ninety bajillion times! Edward, I suck!"

Edward wrapped his comforting arms around me and squeezed. "It really wasn't that bad… Trust me. Besides, it's not like you can see anyone from on stage, the lights will be in your eyes most of the time. All you need to know is that Jake will be in the front row, completely… mesmerized."

"Promise?"

"Uh, yeah, promise. Good luck kiddo."

I couldn't help but smile back at him as his crooked grin inched a little further up his face, causing his eyes to crinkle at the sides.

An hour later I found myself backstage at _"Lucky's", _nervous as hell.

**Chapter Four will post on Saturday. There we'll get to see Bella strutting her stuff… you made get really angry, but have faith!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Becoming Bella**

**Chapter Four**

**Back from "the happiest place on Earth" and let me tell you I am fried to a crisp! In all of my concern in making sure everyone else was putting on a shit-ton of sunscreen, I neglected myself. **face-palm****

**Disclaimer: Twilight and it's characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. This story however, is mine, and all similarities to real persons are just that, similarities. Please feel free to review or not, I just love reading and writing. Hope you enjoy this journey with me!**

"Alice, I need a bucket."

"No you don't. Just take deep breathes in and out and think happy thoughts."

"Alice, I'm serious get the bucket!"

"Sweetie, you're going to be just fine… Shit, you do look a little green around the gills…"

"ALICE, THE BUCKET!"

"Bella! I don't have a bucket, but here's a trash… can… Eww, gross, Bella!"

Wiping my mouth off with a Kleenex, I took the Altoids Alice handed me and waited for my cue, pulling the mask down my face.

Sooner, rather than later I found myself on stage, swinging my hips, prancing around like I'd done this a million times. Straddle the cabaret chair, a few turns around the brass pole, dip, backbend off the pole… I knew every step, every sway, every wink was just for Jake. Hopefully he was enjoying his little surprise from me. My only regret at that moment was that I wished I was doing this just for him and not in front of a club full of spectators, but what's a girl to do, right?

I wished I could see the expression on his face for the stage lights in my eyes.

My jacket was off, my hair pins were out, and I was strutting my way across the stage towards the steps leading down to the front row, mask still affixed firmly to my face.

The ending strains of the music were quickly approaching as I carefully picked my way down the step towards Jake. The first face emerging from the spotlights was Edward's, and he was not happy; in fact he looked murderously angry.

"…oh my god…"

"…hilarious…"

"…chub…"

"…oink…"

**Oh, shit… EPOV coming up next time! Stay tuned! **


	5. Chapter 5

**Becoming Bella**

**Chapter Five**

**Disclaimer: Twilight and it's characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. This story however, is mine, and all similarities to real persons are just that, similarities. Please feel free to review or not, I just love reading and writing. Hope you enjoy this journey with me!**

**P/S Feel free to unleash your own murderous rage on Jake.**

My God, she was gorgeous, but she always had been in my eyes. Never one to call attention to herself, Bella was laying out all her cards up on that stage, a special surprise for her future husband. A role that I always wished to fill, but I'd never even had the balls to ask her on a date.

She moved like a goddess, the little skirt of her costume flouncing over her luscious ass. And those tits; MY GOD those tits, wrapped up in a tight little corset, begging for everyone in the room to sit up and take notice.

She was a vision.

The object of my fantasies through my teenage years, Bella never seemed to see in herself what I saw. She was a curvy, luscious, desirable woman all wrapped in a pretty little package with a smart mouth and hyper intelligent brain to match. For the life of me, I could never figure out what it was that drew me to her. Perhaps it was the fact that she was the one to call me on my bull-shit. Or that she could match wits with me in our weekly Trivial Pursuit tournaments and beat me every time. The fact that she didn't know how fucking hot she was only made me want her more.

I've tried so hard over the years to protect her and my sister, Alice. Only she never knew that I did it out of love, lust, or whatever you want to call it, rather than out of duty to my baby sister and her best friend.

And now it was too late. This time next week, she was going to marry Jacob Black, all around jock and dumbass and I was going to miss the opportunity of a lifetime.

Fuck my life.

The cackling around me drew me out of my funk at missing what would never be with _my Bella_.

"Oh, my God, Jasper! Your Texas is showing! Since when did cows become sexy?" Jacob's cousin Seth exclaimed. "That's just fucking hilarious!"

Jacob and the rest of his buddies continued to laugh and catcall around me as Bella was finishing her routine on the stage in front of us.

Red.

All I could see was red, murderous rage creeping across my vision at hearing the vile filth spilling from the mouths of Jacob and his friends.

I noticed Jasper flinch from my peripheral. Even he was mortified at the comments from these _men_, especially the one man that _my Bella_ was choosing to trust for the rest of her life.

Paul started in on a round of more humiliating comments. "Poor little chubby girl, trying to be all hot and shit. Hey, Jasper! Got any tomatoes we can throw? I didn't know this was a comedy club!"

The anger I felt coursing through my veins threatened to propel me from my seat and start ripping each one of them limb from limb.

And the worst… from the one man that could destroy Bella in a heartbeat.

"Here, piggy, piggy! Look at those hams in the back, boys! Oink, oink, oink"

By that point, the music was coming to a close, but Bella was frozen in place.

**More EPOV to come next chapter, which will post on Wednesday. Please leave me some love!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

**Disclaimer: Twilight and it's characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. This story however, is mine, and all similarities to real persons are just that, similarities. Please feel free to review or not, I just love reading and writing. Hope you enjoy this journey with me.**

**P/S I received a review last week from twilightobsesser2** **that asked who I thought Bella looked like. I said I didn't have anyone in particular in mind when I was writing, and twilightobsesser2 suggested Ashley Graham, and was that a spot-on suggestion! Google her, she's f-ing HOT; I think I seriously have a girl-crush!**

The look on Bella's face cut me to the core. The hurt, the unbelievable shock registering on that sweet girl's face that such a thing could come from the mouth of the one man she had trusted to truly care for her for the last ten years

Like a pouncing jungle cat, I leapt from my chair over the table, tackling Jake to the floor with my hands around his throat. I didn't care that he was bigger than me and could take me out easier than yesterday's garbage. I didn't care that by doing this I could permanently scar Bella and my sister for life for what they would think about me.

All I cared about was retribution.

"You son of a bitch! Do you know what it took for her to get up on that stage?" I punched him in the nose, putting the full weight of my body behind it. "She worked so hard to do something special for you!" I landed another punch, this time to his jaw as I kept him straddled to the floor.

"Fuck you, Edward!" He spat in my face. "If Miss Piggy up there wanted to strut herself on stage, she should have found a barn to do it in. That shit's just disgusting!" As he struggled to push me off of him, I landed another punch to his nose, this time with a satisfying crunch.

Two sets of strong arms pried my hands from Jake. Jasper was trying to get me to calm down, while Emmett, one of his bouncers kept me restrained from behind.

"Edward, back off man. I don't want to have to remove you from my club. Calm the fuck down." I glanced at Jasper. His eyebrows were raised high in warning, but the expression on his face gave away that he was just as pissed off as I was. He cocked his head towards Sam, another of his bouncers.

"Yeah, boss?" asked Sam.

"Sam, please escort these _gentlemen_ off of my property and blacklist them. No one talks about the women here like that." Jasper, very calmly, got up in Jake's face as he stood from the floor, _"Least of all my wife's best friend."_

At that, Jasper walked off to the backstage area, leaving a visibly paling Jacob in his wake.

**Please to be reviewing and recc'ing! LOL See you tomorrow!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

**Disclaimer: Twilight and it's characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. This story however, is mine, and all similarities to real persons are just that, similarities. Please feel free to review or not, I just love reading and writing. Hope you enjoy this journey with me.**

**Back to Bella this chapter.**

After hearing Jake and his friends, I froze, panicked, and ran off the stage and out the back door to my car. I don't know how I got my keys to leave; I probably shouldn't have even been driving after that humiliation.

Alice was curled up with me on my bed, asleep. I was still wearing what we had both thought of as a sexy costume but ultimately became a symbol of my utter mortification and embarrassment. Surrounded by wadded up tissues, a half-eaten container of Ben & Jerry's, and a now-empty bottle of red wine, I decided I'd had enough of my self-loathing. Jacob couldn't hurt me; no one could hurt me. That bastard wasn't worth my tears or my upset stomach. I started stripping off the corset and the skirt, ripping the stockings off on my way to the bathroom and slammed the door.

I splashed my face with cold water and looked at myself in the mirror. Just a few short hours ago, a nervous, made-up face had looked up at me. I was happy, or so I had thought. Now all that stared back at me was a tear streaked face covered in smeared eyeliner and running mascara. Even the false lashes I had applied looked like spiders against my pale skin. I reached for the makeup remover and started to wash my face when a timid knock sounded on the bathroom door.

"Bells?" asked a sleepy-voiced Alice. "Jacob's here. I didn't let him in, but he's upset and wants to talk to you."

"I don't want to talk to him, see him, anymore. Tell him to go fuck himself." I said.

"Okay, sweetie. I'll tell him needs to leave," she murmured from behind the door.

"No. Alice, I mean it, tell him to go fuck himself, and the wedding's off."

Not more than a minute later I could hear pounding on my door, followed by ranting and raving of Jacob. Throwing my robe on, I rushed to the door and threw it open as far as the chain on the door would let me.

"Bella, baby, please let me in. Can we talk about this?" Jacob pleaded from the other side.

"I thought I told you to fuck off, Jake. Take the hint. You certainly have given me enough over the years and tonight just cemented your fate in my book. I don't want to see you ever again!"

I slammed the door in his face and crumpled in a heap on the floor.

**Have faith, peeps! Don't forget that review! See you tomorrow!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

**Disclaimer: Twilight and it's characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. This story however, is mine, and all similarities to real persons are just that, similarities. Please feel free to review or not, I just love reading and writing. Hope you enjoy this journey with me.**

**P/S Sorry to have missed posting yesterday, RL is a b&^%$ lately, so… yeah, here you go!**

Sometime the next morning, Alice started shaking me awake. The last thing I remembered was passing out on the floor by the front door after yelling at Jake to leave, so I had no idea how I had wound up in my bed. I was thankful that I was in my bed however; waking up on the cold hardwood floor would have put me in an even more rotten mood than I already was. I was so thankful she had decided to stay with me after tonight's events; the last thing I needed was to be alone right now, even I knew that.

"Hey, Bella, how did you sleep?" asked Alice.

"I guess I slept okay, but how did I get in bed? The last thing I remember from last night is yelling at Jake, slamming the door, and passing out."

"Well, you did pass out, that's for sure. I tried getting you to wake up and move to your room, but you just weren't having it and kept swatting my hands away," she giggled. "So I called Jasper to come pick me up last night, figuring I could crawl out the window."

"Alice, that still doesn't explain how I…"

Alice put her hand over my mouth to stop me. "Shut it and let me finish, please? Jasper showed up with Edward and I let them in through the front window. Edward picked you up, tucked you in, and then Jasper and I left."

"Wait, what?" I definitely knew I needed a vat of coffee at this point if I thought I heard Alice say that Edward picked me up. Hello, remember the Miss Piggy comment?

"Yep. Edward decided you shouldn't be alone by yourself, so he offered to sleep on the couch in case you woke up and needed a friend. He should be back soon, he just went up to the donut shop for some coffee and breakfast. Why don't you hop in the shower and get yourself cleaned up before he gets back?"

After a hot shower and a fresh change of clothes, I headed to the living room with my wedding planning book since I needed to get on the ball and get everything cancelled, where I could overhear Alice and Edward talking.

"…it's not like the signs weren't there, Edward. He was always making little comments about the way she looks. I'm just glad that she's finally rid of that dog."

Edward sighed, slumping back into the deep cushions of my couch, and I could see him scrubbing his hands over his face from my hiding spot in the hall.

"She's strong, Edward," Alice said, as if she were comforting him. "Not to say she won't be depressed for a while, 'cuz, this is like a huge thing in a woman's life. To find out the man in your life for the last decade who you're supposed to be marrying in a week, doesn't think you're the most wonderfully gorgeous thing in the world, and then blatantly blurts out something like that in front of all his buddies? That's heartbreaking…And we as her friends need to be there to help her get through this."

I couldn't listen to this anymore.

**For anyone who has been reading my other fic, Into The Fire, I'm excited to say that it is going to be combed through for errors thanks to Project Team Beta. I know I said that Chapter 4 of Into The Fire would be up yesterday (and feel free to throw tomatoes at me for this) but it will be next Wednesday instead. Sorry! In the meantime, I am reading every review and love getting them; they keep me encouraged to write more! Keep on recommending and reviewing!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

**Disclaimer: Twilight and its characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. This story however, is mine, and all similarities to real persons are just that, similarities. Please feel free to review or not, I just love reading and writing. Hope you enjoy this journey with me.**

"Alright, enough of poor Bella, we've got a wedding to cancel folks." I threw my wedding planning book down on the coffee table and flopped back onto the couch next to Edward.

He scooted closer to me, wrapping and arm around my shoulders and I leaned my head on his chest. That's when I noticed the scrapes and bruising on his hand.

"Edward! What happened, are you okay?"

"Nothing to be concerned about, just had a mess to clean up last night after you left. I'll be fine." His voice sounded off-putting, as if he was trying to hide something from me. Edward had always been an open book, so for him to start acting sneaky now was highly unusual. "So, I'm assuming you're going to need some help with all of this; where do we start first?" He removed his arm from around my shoulder and grabbed the planner off the coffee table where I'd tossed it and started leafing through the pages.

"Luckily, I have the next three weeks off because of the wed- wedding," I stuttered out. "I guess I should start calling the florist, caterers, dress-shop, the limo company, the church, the hotel…" I continued to tick off all of the things I had listed as Alice's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates.

Alice held up a hand to interrupt my chain of thought. "How about we split up everything; each one of us can take a few things and get them done. With the three of us working together, we can have everyone contacted and taken care of. I bet even Jasper would be willing to help out a bit."

I grabbed the planner from Edward's hands and leafed to the back of the book, where all of the details about the romantic two week honeymoon I had planned for Jake and I were. "The only things that can't be absolutely cancelled are the honeymoon plans. I've already paid for most of the trip and I only have the last payment that's due on Thursday, but it's non-refundable."

Edward reached across the planner and grabbed a brochure out of the pocket page. "Portugal? That's… different." He started leafing through the brochure my travel agent had given me. "Why did you two pick Portugal?"

I started pulling the rest of the brochures out and spread them across the table, setting aside the wedding planner on the seat cushion next to me. "_We_ didn't decide on Portugal, I did. Jake was never really involved or interested in any of the planning. He just said to pick whatever I wanted; it's one place I've always wanted to go but have never been. I thought it would be romantic; just the two of us wandering the streets, exploring the island villages and eating local cuisine." I sighed, tossing a brochure in Alice's direction to look at. "Now I'm stuck with a trip for two, and it's only going to be for one."

"You'll get through this, sweetie," said Alice. "I'm convinced that when one door closes, another one is set to open up to bigger and better things. With us helping you, we should be able to get all of this cleared away in the next day or so; after that you can worry about what you're going to do about the Portugal trip."

Alice left the overstuffed chair she was sitting on to move around the coffee table and sit on my other side. Two sets of arms came around me, squishing me into a Bella sandwich group hug.

With my best friend and my hero by my side, anything was possible.

**A/N So… I've had almost 2,000 hits to this story and only 18 reviews. *makes sad panda face* You all know what you need to do… Please? OH! BTW, if you want to hang out with me on twitter, you can find me stephabelle77. Also, I just started a tumblr… Lord help me! stephabellaff if you're looking for me there too! Can't wait to see you around!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

**Disclaimer: Twilight and its characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. This story however, is mine, and all similarities to real persons are just that, similarities. Hope you enjoy this journey with me.**

**I probably should have posted this before chapter 9, but you don't mind going back in time a bit, do you?**

**Ready for some more Edward?**

When Alice called Jasper at the club to come pick her up, I tagged along to make sure Bella was okay. Alice had told Jasper that he'd have to use the front window because she couldn't wake Bella to get her to move from the entry way to her apartment; she'd passed out after Jacob tried to talk to her.

When Jasper and I arrived, Alice had already opened the window and popped out the screen so we could climb through. _My poor Bella._ She was slumped in front of the door knocked out asleep. I leaned down to pick her up and carried her to her bed. I could see the track marks her tears had made down her face and I swore that I would never let anyone or anything hurt _my Bella_ like that again.

I carefully placed her in her unmade bed, cradling her head on her pillow and watched as her eyes fluttered. I hoped she had only good dreams tonight; she should never have to worry about living through nightmares again.

I left her wrapped up in the green robe I gave her for Christmas two years ago and slipped her feet under the blankets at the end of the bed. Pulling the blankets up around her, I tucked her in and with a light peck to her temple wished her sweet dreams. Looking around her room, it was obvious she had had some help in getting to sleep; there was an empty wine bottle and a half-eaten carton of ice cream on her nightstand which I took to the kitchen to get rid of and gently closed the door behind me.

"Hey, big brother, ready to go? It's late, I'm tired, and all I want to do is snuggle with my hubby."

Jasper came up behind Alice and wrapped his arms around her waist, settling his chin on her shoulder.

"Nah, you guys go ahead. I'll sleep on the couch in case she wakes up in the middle of the night and needs someone to talk too. You go ahead and go home; I'll see you later."

Alice had gathered up her coat and purse on the way to the door.

"Answer me something before you leave. Why was she on the floor in the first place?"

"We-e-ell," she hesitated. "Jake showed up trying to talk to her. Guess he tried to apologize or something. I stayed in Bella's room to give them a little bit of privacy in case she wanted to talk to him, even though she told me to tell him to fuck off and leave her alone."

I waved my hand in front of Alice to get her to keep talking.

"And then she yelled at him that she never wanted to see him anymore and slammed the door."

_Score one for Edward. _

After Alice and Jasper left, I put Bella's screen back on her window and made sure it was closed and locked along with the doors and the rest of the windows. I peeked in again on Bella to make sure she was sleeping soundly, and left her door open a crack on my way to her living room. Bella still kept a quilt her mother made her of old touristy T-shirts on the back of the couch, so I spread out my lanky form on her tiny couch underneath it, and settled in to watch a little late-night television.

I was just nodding off to sleep when I could hear Bella whimpering from her room. From the door I could see her moving in her sleep and tears falling down her face again. I lay down next to her and pulled her into my chest, wrapping my arms around her and shushing her like a small child. She eventually calmed and fell back into a deep sleep. I tucked her back into bed and went back to my spot on the couch, losing myself in old re-runs of _Friends_.

The television was playing a _Sham-Wow_ commercial when I woke up to knocking on the front door. Glancing at the clock, I saw it was 6:30 AM, and wondered who it could possibly be. I turned off the television on my way to peek through the peep hole.

_Jacob – fucking – Black._

**Don't kill me, don't kill me! Want to see some inspiration behind this story? Go to stephabellaff dot tumblr dot com (you know how to replace "dot" by now) and on Twitter: stephabelle77 Don't forget those reviews, they encourage me to keep writing!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

**Disclaimer: Twilight and its characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. This story however, is mine, and all similarities to real persons are just that, similarities. Hope you enjoy this journey with me.**

**No, I am not evil. I hope this chapter makes up for the cliffy last time; it's bigger (TWSS) than any chapter published to date, and you get to see a little Big Bro / Little Sis interaction as well!**

* * *

"What the fuck are you doing here, Black?"

"Well, Cullen, shouldn't I be asking you that? This is _my_ fiancée's apartment after all." He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the door jam.

"Last I heard, asshole, Bella asked you to leave and never come back. I suggest you take her advice and do just that."

Jake stuck a meaty paw between the door and the frame, and pushed it back as I tried to shut the door in his face.

"So I guess the pussification of Edward Cullen is complete, huh? Don't think I didn't notice how you've trailed after Bella like a little lost puppy, pretty boy. And now you're here to pick up my sloppy seconds. _Tsk, Tsk, Tsk_. Edward, I really thought you were more of a man than that."

"Get over yourself, Black. Is there a reason why you're here or are you just here to harass Bella some more?"

Jacob ran a hand through his hair. "Look, I'm really sorry I said what I said. I just need to talk to her; I didn't know that was her up on that stage or I never would have said those things and I would have made damn sure the rest of the guys didn't either."

I clenched my fists at my side, seething in anger; the last thing I wanted was for Bella to wake up and hear more crap coming from his mouth.

"See, Jacob, that's the problem." I shoved my index finger in his chest to emphasize my point. "_You_ should have known that was her. _You've_ been with Bella since high school. _You were_ her fiancé. If anyone should have known that was her, it should have been _you."_

"She was wearing a mask! And she was all… trussed up and shit! Maybe if she didn't act like such an old prude all of the time-"

I'd had about enough of his mouth at that point. My fists wrapped themselves in his shirt as I spun him around and slammed him against the wall outside the front door.

"Face it, Black. You fucked up big time. Now Bella knows just what a creep you are. Do you know what it was like for me to hide your extracurricular activities from her, to keep her heart from breaking over you? How many of them did you take home at night, Jake? Huh? Was it worth it?" I slammed his back into the wall again.

He tried shoving back at me, but the adrenaline coursing through my veins had imbued me with super-human strength. "You, know Edward, for someone who says he's Bella's _friend_, you sure have a funny way of showing it. Let's say you saw me with all these different women, huh? As Bella's _friend_, shouldn't you have been the first one to tell her what you saw? What you thought was going on? You're so fucking pussy whipped, and you aren't even getting any of that."

_Fuck this shit._

I hauled my fist back and with another satisfying crunch, punched him in the face for the millionth time that night. Blood spurted from his nose and across my face and shirt.

"Get the fuck away from here, and don't come back. Don't call Bella. Don't text her, don't even take out a billboard asking for forgiveness. She's done with you, if it's the last thing I do."

I hauled him from the wall and shoved his ass down the stairs. Alice was passing him on the way back up and she rolled her eyes at me as she came to a stop on the landing.

"'Morning, sis." I tried wiping as much of the blood off of my face with the bottom of my shirt as I could before Alice could see the damage under the porch light.

"Edward, what the hell is wrong with you?" She slapped me on the backside of my head with her purse.

"What? He showed up, I put him in his place, it's all good." Alice hit me on the back of the head again with her purse as she followed me back into the apartment.

"Ow! Will you stop hitting me already?"

Alice ripped off her jacket, threw it and her purse down on the couch on top of Bella's quilt and started berating me with her hands on her hips.

She looked just like Mom and it was just as scary.

"Edward Anthony Cullen, as I live and breathe! Don't think I haven't figured out what all of this was about. Now that Bella has finally tossed Jake aside you want her for yourself, don't you?"

Guess I hadn't hidden my feelings for Bella all that well the last few years.

"Uh-"

"I saw the look on your face every time I caught you looking up at her on that stage during rehearsals. Don't you dare lie to me, big brother."

"Um, well, you see-"

She held her hand up in front of her face. "Stop. Just stop right there. She's vulnerable right now; the last thing she needs after that- dog finally dropped his façade is for you to come charging in to save the day. Again."

"Oh, come on! I'm not go-"

Her eyes narrowed and she hit me again. This was getting real old, real fast.

"I'm not stupid, Edward. You need to give her some time to heal, to find herself. For the last decade she's been Jake's girlfriend, Jake's fiancée. She needs time to figure out who she is without Jake for a change."

She huffed and threw herself down on the couch. "By the way you look like shit." She looked up at me, wrinkling her nose at the Jacob's blood on my shirt.

I chuckled. "He looks a lot worse, trust me."

I told Alice I was going to head home to shower and change and that I would come back a little later after a quick nap with some coffee and donuts.

I'd just have to remember to get Bella her mocha. It _is_ her favorite.

* * *

**Don't you just love how Edward goes ballistic on Jake, but then baby sister Alice can totally make him clam up? Check out stephabelleff dot tumblr dot com for pix from the story or hit me up on Twitter at stephabelle77. Oh, don't forget to review!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

**Disclaimer: Twilight and its characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. This story however, is mine, and all similarities to real persons are just that, similarities. Hope you enjoy this journey with me.**

**We now return to Bella and a bit of a time jump. Bella's show for Jake was Friday night; this helps speed past all of that until Monday.**

* * *

After a breakfast of coffee and donuts, Edward, Alice and I had spent all day Saturday making calls to the various vendors to cancel the wedding. Thankfully I was able to get some of the money back, but I was still stuck with a wedding dress I couldn't use and a honeymoon I didn't want to go on.

Alice suggested that I try selling my dress on Craigslist since the dress shop wouldn't give me a refund; it wasn't like there would be any real marriage prospects in the future, and I never really liked it anyway. It was hard enough trying to buy a wedding dress off the rack that fit, let alone looked good on me, so I was relegated to one of the _four_ the store carried above a size eight. What amounted to a satin T-shirt with a never ending mass of tulle was never what I imagined my wedding dress would look like anyway; it's not like I was sad to see it go, other than the sentimental reason that it was supposed to be _my_ wedding dress.

I'd listed it on Sunday night after getting home from dinner with Jasper, Alice and Edward. I was so fortunate to have the best friends in the world to support me after what Jake had done. Was I upset that the wedding I had been planning was off? Not as much as I probably should have been. Sure, it was embarrassing to have to call all the vendors and cancel the arrangements I had with them, but it was more devastating to have to call all the wedding guests. Luckily Edward was able to help me send back all of the wedding gifts Jake and I had received.

Damn, I loved that Dyson.

I _should_ have known something was wrong with my relationship with Jake all along. All of the signs were there; they were so obvious to me now.

"_Bella, do you really think you should have dessert? That's going to be hard to work off for a girl like you."_

"_You really should put in more time at the gym, sweetheart. It's important to for a girl to keep her figure."_

"_No, I'm going out with the guys tonight, babe. Why don't you hang out with Alice and have a girl's night in?"_

"_That skirt makes you look bigger, don't wear that."_

The rest of Sunday, I purged my apartment of all things "Jake". I stripped the sports posters of him off my walls and cleared what clothes of his I had from my closet and drawers. A Seahawks coffee cup, a team ball cap, his toothbrush. I should have been surprised by the minimal amount of things he had in my apartment, but I wasn't. In the entire ten years we were together, rarely did he ever stay the night at my place. Yes, we had a sexual relationship, and yes, we spent time together, but if our relationship had to be judged by the amount of Jake's personal effects in my apartment, we would have lost that contest. I had more of Edward's stuff here than I did his.

All of Jake's things were sitting in a single black garbage bag by the front door, ready to go down to the dumpster Monday morning. The last thing I wanted at this point was to see him, so tossing everything out was the best option. I was surprised that he hadn't come back or even tried to call me since he showed up Friday night and I told him to leave.

Alice called me Monday morning to ask if I needed help at the travel agency and I told her I could handle it myself. Mrs. Cope at the agency was very understanding about handling my predicament, but sadly, there was no way she could issue a refund.

"What we can do Miss Swan is take your former fiancé's name off the itinerary and if you decide to take a friend along on the trip, just give me a call and we'll have that name issued on all of the documents instead." A few clicks on her computer later, I had a new batch of paperwork issued to _Isabella Swan_ and _Insert Name Here._

Now that my "honeymoon" was paid off, I wondered if one of my friends would be able to go to Portugal with me as "Thank You" for helping me out the last few days.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Disclaimer: Twilight and its characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. This story however, is mine, and all similarities to real persons are just that, similarities. Hope you enjoy this journey with me.**

**Time for Bella to start moving on! Vamos começar a festa! (vamos comaser a feszhtuh phonetically translates to "Let's get the party started!" in Portuguese.) Thank you LOLO 5-0 who has reviewed **_**each and every chapter **_***happy claps* and gifts of Sham-wow panties to the Troops over at Sarge's Girls on Facebook; tons of fun to be had there! BTW, I'm not particularly fond of how this chapter turned out, but we need to move things along, yes?**

* * *

I was finally glad to be rid of the dress from hell and relieved that I wouldn't be enjoying Portugal by myself.

A very nice woman named Kate had bought my dress. She was a seamstress by trade and had decided that she could make it over into something better for one of her clients. More power to her! I quite honestly couldn't see how it could look any worse.

My bags were packed and waiting by the front door, ready for the early morning flight to Philadelphia and then Lisbon. Everything on the itinerary was confirmed; hotel arrangements, hired car.

I had asked Alice if she would go to Portugal with me as a way of getting away from the day-to-day and have a little "girl time" but she said she was busy with getting the dancers at _"Lucky's"_ set up for their annual Fourth of July show. Alice was in charge of organization and getting costumes coordinated for the charity show that this year was being held to support The Wounded Warrior Project.

I was sad that Alice wouldn't be able to go with me until she suggested that I ask her brother. It had been several years since Edward had taken any extended time off due to getting _"Lucky's_" up and running. Out of the three of them, Alice felt that if anyone deserved a vacation it was Edward, and I couldn't have agreed more. I'd seen first-hand how all three of my friends had worked so hard over the last few years to make _"Lucky's"_ a successful and classy establishment. It was a risqué venture to undertake, running a burlesque club but they did it with style and aplomb.

Alice decided I needed a little retail therapy, so we spent the rest of the week during her free time shopping for what I'd need to make my trip to Portugal the best it could be.

Spending almost twenty-four hours traveling makes a girl cranky; after arriving in Lisbon and taking the hired car to the _Pestana Palace Hotel_ in Lisbon, all I wanted to do was take a shower and sleep. Edward had been especially attentive to me during our travels by making sure I ate, stayed hydrated and kept comfortable on our trip. He was the best friend I could have had with me at that point, short of him being Alice.

My plans of just taking a shower and sleeping off my jet lag however we're foiled when Edward and I were escorted into the hotel suite by the bell-hop. Apparently the hotel had not been informed of the change in sleeping arrangements, because when the bell-hop was showing us all of the amenities of the suite and ushered us into the bedroom to drop our bags, I noticed that there was only _one_ bed. Gorgeous as it was, it just wasn't going to work for Edward and I, and the scattered rose petals across the surface of pristine white pillows in a heart shape just brought to mind everything I wanted to escape.

"_**Lucky's" **_**is not real, however The Wounded Warrior Project charity is and they can use everyone's help. You can find them at . check out my tumblr account at .com for pics from the hotel, **_**Pestana Palace**_**. Gorgeous place I want to visit one day!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

**Disclaimer: Twilight and its characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. This story however, is mine, and all similarities to real persons are just that, similarities. Hope you enjoy this journey with me.**

For the whole of last week, Bella's emotions had fluctuated from one extreme to the other; at moments, she was numb and would stare off into space, and other times she was completely gung-ho about getting on with her life without Jacob.

Bella asked me if I would go with her on her trip to Portugal; her reason being that it was completely paid for and that she didn't want to spend what was supposed to have been her honeymoon alone. There had been many times while attending college when Jasper and Alice would take their little romantic weekend trips and at Alice's request, I'd "keep an eye" on Bella where we would hang out together for the few days they were gone. That's how we'd developed our ritual of our Trivial Pursuit tournaments. While I had agreed to go to Portugal with Bella, I was feeling a bit apprehensive about it to say the least. I'd been alone with her for extended amounts of time in the past to be truthful, but this time was different.

I took it upon myself as Bella's unofficial babysitter to keep an eye on her yet again, only this time it was my chance to make sure she had fun and enjoyed herself to keep her from dwelling on her now broken relationship with Jacob.

We arrived at our hotel late in the evening; luckily we'd had a quick meal at a restaurant in the airport before leaving for the hotel, so all we needed was to clean up and get a good night's sleep before Bella's first planned excursion of a full day gastronomic tour of Lisbon and Sintra, along with wine tasting. I loved that I would be able to see Bella in her element and looked forward to all of the things she could teach me about the foods and individual wines we would be experiencing while we were here.

Our plans were foiled however because the hotel suite only had the one bed with red rose petals strewn across the covers of the in a heart shape.

"Um, I can sleep on the couch in the front room," I muttered. "You take the bed. I'm going to grab a shower if that's okay?" I said after tipping the bell-hop before he left.

Bella just stood in the in the doorway of the bedroom, unmoving. I put my hands on her shoulders to move around her and grab my bag from where the bell-hop dropped it to take it with me into the bathroom. Silent tears streamed down her face while her arms were wrapped around her torso as if trying to keep herself from shattering into pieces, staring at what should have been a romantic gesture.

"Bella, baby, don't cry." I wrapped my arms around her in comfort, giving her a slight squeeze to silently tell her everything would be okay.

"I can't help it. It's just a bad reminder of everything I've lost."

"Lost? What have you lost?" I tried so hard to keep the sarcasm out of my voice.

Bella started gesturing wildly with her hands. "Everything! Don't you see? I'm alone. We were together for ten years Edward. How could- how could he do this to me? I don't know how to be alone."

"Baby, you're not alone"

She flopped back on to the bed, her flaring around her on the pristine white comforter.

"No one will want me. Look at me! No one will want me. I've lost everything!"

"What did you lose?" I sat down next to her, placing my hand on her knee in comfort. "A man who constantly berated you about your looks? A man that had no problems ogling other women when the most beautiful woman in the world was right in front of his face?"

"Ugh. Edward. Do you really think I didn't know about the women? Of course I did; I'm not stupid."

"Well then I guess that I shouldn't feel like a horrible friend for not telling you that I knew he was out and about with other girls."

"No Edward. I don't blame you for trying to shield me from all of his bull-shit. I knew going in what I was getting in the long run. Maybe it was because I thought that marrying Jake was the best I could do. It was comfortable, you know? But maybe it's just that I didn't want to spend the rest of my life alone. I think that's always been my biggest fear; being alone."

"Well, you're not alone and you never have been. You have Alice, Jasper _and me_ in your corner, always." I reached up to wipe her face with my thumbs, my hands cradling her face. "Now, how about you go take a nice warm shower before bed while I get this mess cleaned up, yeah?" I placed a chaste kiss to her temple and hugged her as tightly as I could to give her some reassurance that I would always be there for her.

Solemnly nodding her head, she got up from the bed and grabbed her pajamas and toiletries from her bag, taking them with her into the bathroom to take her shower.

I huffed, running my hands through my hair. This wasn't going to be easy trying to keep her spirits up. I grabbed the trashcan near the dresser and started scooping the rose petals off the bed.

As I was finishing, Bella came out of shower wrapped in her fuzzy green bathrobe over her pajamas and I smiled at her, shaking my head.

"What?" she questioned a small smile _finally_ on her face. "It's comfy and it's my favorite."

I took my turn in the shower, scrubbing off the grime coating my skin from a full day of traveling, dressed in pajama pants and a t-shirt, and returned to the bedroom to check on Bella.

"Hey, we match," she said. I looked down at what I was wearing and sure enough, we were both wearing similar black and gray flannel pajama pants, though she was wearing a black tank top to my gray t-shirt.

"Thank you for taking care of all of that," she said, gesturing towards the bed. "I don't think I could have handled that by myself."

"Not a problem, sweetheart, let's get you in to bed."

She climbed in the bed and I moved to tuck her in like I always did. With the sheets drawn up around her, she flipped the covers over on the other side of the big bed.

"Will you stay?" she asked in a small, child-like voice. "I don't want to be alone."

With a nod, I moved to the other side of the bed crawled in next to her. She curled up next to me, seeking comfort and I pulled her closer to me, cradling her head in the space between my arm and my body.

"Your never alone, Bella." With that, I squeezed her against me and we quickly fell into a deep sleep.

**Thank you everyone for all of your kind, sweet reviews! I love them so much; keep them coming! BTW, I just posted a beta'd version of Into The Fire earlier so go take a look at that as well!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

**Disclaimer: Twilight and its characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. This story however, is mine, and all similarities to real persons are just that—similarities. Hope you enjoy this journey with me.**

**Hope you all missed me the last few days; I certainly missed you! Been busy getting my Kindergartener ready for first day of school next week; EEP!**

**Back again with Edward!**

* * *

Waking up every day with Bella curled around me was both heaven and hell; heaven because she was all warm sweet-smelling girl in the morning as well as being a cuddler, and hell because I would have to hide each morning how much she _physically_ affected me more than just a regular hormonal response that could be casually taken care of in the shower.

We'd spent the last few days in Lisbon doing what any other tourist would do; we visited museums, listened to Portuguese _fado_ music in cafes, and even visited the sixteenth century monastery, _Mosteiro dos Jeronimo,_ where Vasco de Gama was entombed. It was during a long walk back to hotel from the monastery where we discovered _Antiga Confeitaria de Belém._

"Oh my God, this is so fucking good," I mumbled around a mouthful of flaky pastry.

We had bought some custard tarts from the _Antiga Confeitaria de Belém_ and were eating them with coffee late at night while sitting in our pajamas on the bed and combing through the stack of Trivial Pursuit cards Bella had managed to pack into her luggage.

"I know, right?" Bella was just finishing her second one while I was already on my fourth. The little pastries reminded me of the good things about I loved about _my Bella_; all gooey, sweet and addicting on the inside and hidden in a deceptive little package.

"What was the surname of the American Civil War general who has lent his name to prostitutes?" It was my turn to ask the questions, and in a decision to make things more fun than usual, I decided to ask the most provocative questions I could find.

"It was Hooker," Bella answered with a straight face, then took a sip of her coffee.

I flipped through the cards for another one. "What did 100,000 self-conscious American women buy 200,000 of in 1980?"

"It was supposed to be my turn!" she exclaimed, punching me lightly in the arm. "The answer is breast implants." Swallowing her last bite, she wiped her hands on her napkin and started looking for questions to ask me. "But that number's over 300,000 customers annually now. Thank god I don't need them."

"No, no you don't," I muttered.

"What was that?"

"Um, nothing. Here's one. Do porcupines masturbate?"

Bella's face started turning beat red and she jumped from her spot on the bed on top of me and knocking me backwards in to the pillows. "No, they don't," she said matter-of-factly as she dug her fingers into my sides, propelling me into maniacal fits of laughter as she straddled me on the bed.

"Actually yes they do." I rolled her over and landed on top of her, shoving the card in her face. "See? Says so right here."

I tried blocking her smack-attack by quickly dropping the card on the bed and starting to tickle her back. She started wiggling underneath me, _still smacking_ and laughing at me, which was doing nothing to alleviate the growing problem in my pants. I pinned her hands down on either side of her head.

"What is it with all of the women in my life smacking me around these days? If it's not my mother or Alice, it's you!"

"God, damn it! Edward, it was my turn! Let me go!" she wined.

"No." I leaned closer towards her as she continued her writhing against me. "I'm not letting you go until you apologize."

Her sweet coffee and vanilla scented breath fanned across my face as her breathing picked up as she continued to struggle against me. "Apologize? You're the one who should apologize, _cheater_."

I gritted my teeth against the sparks of electricity zooming through my body at the spot where we were connected. I wasn't going to be able to reign myself in any longer if she kept it up. I leaned closer, enough that the tip of my nose brushed against the tip of hers.

"Apologize."

She started giggling, that fucking giggle I missed for so long the last two weeks. "No!"

"Apologize."

She smirked up at me. "What are you gonna' do if I don't, huh?"

I released the pressure on her wrist and slid my fingers over her palms, knitting my fingers with hers.

"Take things into my own hands, for a change."

* * *

***duck and cover* See you all Wednesday with Into The Fire Chapter 4 AND Becoming Bella Chapter 16. Much love and ogling over CosmopolisRob!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

**Disclaimer: Twilight and its characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. This story however, is mine, and all similarities to real persons are just that—similarities. Hope you enjoy this journey with me.**

**Bella's turn.**

* * *

Being in Lisbon with Edward was the opportunity of a lifetime. I loved the bit of showing off I got to do, both as a tourist in a foreign country and being able to pick out the most decadent foods to be found. He'd been nothing but a gentleman the entire time; something I was quickly beginning to realize had been severely lacking in my relationship with Jake. It took me a while to get used to Edward holding out chairs and opening doors, but I learned to appreciate and enjoy every minute of it.

We'd been acting as tourists for almost a week now, so I was glad at the opportunity to spend some quiet time with Edward, just the two of us, relaxing and getting in one of our typical rounds of Trivial Pursuit. I always carried a stack of cards with me when travelling; you never knew when you needed to keep yourself entertained for a while.

"Apologize."

I couldn't hold back the giggles spilling out. "No!"

"Apologize."

Edward, that cheeky man, had me completely pinned down so I couldn't move. "What are you gonna' do if I don't, huh?"

He was so close, nose to nose; I could see the green in his eyes dilating to smoldering coals. He released my wrists and knit his fingers with mine. "Take things into my own hands, for a change."

A zap of awareness zinged along body as he pressed himself closer against me. This was _so_ unexpected; in an instant his lips were gently pressing against mine, moving so softly like a humming bird's wings. His breath was sweet and intoxicating. This kiss, _this kiss_, was beyond amazing. He gently lapped at my lips, silently begging for me to give him more.

In an instant, our life-long friendship was transformed. A yearning for connection, for absolute acceptance, fulfilling a fantasy long forgotten. I squeezed his hands between mine, and shifted my face to get closer. His hands slid down from my palms to my wrists, to my shoulders, and moved to cradle my face, his lips moving faster and harder against mine as we rolled together to our sides on the bed.

I hesitantly slid my tongue out to greet his. _God_, he tasted as good as he smelled; vanilla, coffee, sweet and musky.

Breaking the kiss, Edward whispered in my ear, "I've always wanted to do that." He placed a sweet kiss to my temple, pleading with me. "Please, _please_ don't hate me for wanting you so much."

His eyes pleaded with me as they searched my face, darting between my lips, my eyes and back again.

"Edward, when-what-I-I don't understand."

Leaning his body closer and pressing his forehead against mine, his answer stunned me. "I've watched you for so long. I started having these feelings for you in high school, but I never followed through because you were my sister's best friend. I didn't want to ruin our friendship either by complicating things." His lips fluttered as he let out a huge breath. "I thought trying to shield from all of the taunting and teasing would be as far as I could go to show how much I cared for you, but damn it, I just – I just want _you_."

I pushed him away from me and sat up, crossing my arms over my chest. "I still don't understand!" Damn it, this was confusing! Through gritted teeth, I yelled at him, "You always dated those blonde bombshells; those vapid, ignorant Barbie dolls! Were you always going to keep your feelings hidden? Let me marry Jake, the asshole, while _you_ suffered?"

He reached for my hands but I snatched them away. "Please, please let me explain, sweetheart," he pleaded with me.

"I can't handle this right now, Edward. I- I need to be alone right now; it's too much to process." His sad nod in acquiescence cut me like a knife. "I really think its best you slept out on the couch tonight."

"I understand." He got up to grab the extra pillows and blanket from the closet. He paused in front of me, his arms squeezing around the linens. "If it's okay, I really want to take you out tomorrow night. Maybe explain a little more if you'll let me. Please?"

My eyes were welling up with tears as I looked down at my hands, nervously picking at the cuticles, and nodded. I couldn't look at him right now.

"Good night, Bells. Sweet dreams."

At the sound of the closing door I couldn't hold back the flood of emotions. I flopped down over the pillows, gathering the comforter in my hands and bawled into the pillows. My God, was all this time I'd been with Jake just wasted? Could I have always had Edward? How could he ever want someone like me?

Sleep never came that night. I tossed and turned, listening to any sign that Edward was suffering as much as I was. I needed to talk to him, figure this all out.

* * *

**Please don't kill me. Remember, Bella has issues. **

**If you haven't checked out my other story, Into The Fire, yet, I just posted Chapter 4 of that one this morning. Check it out and tell me what you think. ITF Bella is the complete opposite of BB Bella. Enjoy!**

**Be back Friday with an extra-long chapter (TWSS)**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

**Disclaimer: Twilight and its characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. This story however, is mine, and all similarities to real persons are just that—similarities. Hope you enjoy this journey with me.**

**Please excuse Bella's schizophrenic thought process; she's working things out in her head. Longest chapter yet!**

* * *

I must have finally fallen asleep at some point; Edward had obviously snuck back in the room as there was a note lying on the bed amongst the sheets and a cooling mocha waiting for me on the nightstand. I wanted to wait to read the note until I was able to feel a bit more human and able to process his stunning revelation last night, so I grabbed a pair of jeans and an emerald green top and made my way to the bathroom.

Just like the morning after I was humiliated by Jake in front of the entire world, puffy eyes and frizzy hair greeted me in the morning as I looked in the mirror. How Edward could ever find this hot mess attractive enough to want me like he said he did was an utter mystery.

After my shower I dressed, fixed my hair, and went back to the bedroom. The note was still lying there on the bed where Edward had left it, taunting me.

I couldn't help straightening out the covers and pillows the best I could, even though housekeeping came every morning to restore things to their former pristine shape. Propping a few pillows behind me, I sat cross-legged on the bed and sipped at the slightly warm mocha. In his always meticulous penmanship, Edward had scrawled my name across the front of the folded note. The crisp ivory stationary crackled as I opened it.

_Bella-_

_I hope you allow me to take you out to dinner tonight in an effort to explain myself to you. I know my sister made sure that you packed a few nice things as she did for me. I will be out all day so you can have some time to yourself as you asked. Please meet me downstairs tonight in the __Valle Flôr__restaurant at 8:00. I hope, with all my heart, that you will accompany me tonight._

_I'll be waiting._

_Edward_

_P. S. I love the color blue on you._

I read the note a few more times, and then carefully folded it back to its original state, running my finger nail along the crease to flatten it. I wanted answers, needed them. There was no doubt that Edward's little confession the night before had completely brought to the forefront all of my feelings I'd had for him pre-Jake. I thought a lot about what he had said as we were curled around each other last night. That he was taking things into his own hands, like I knew I should have done all those years ago. I was such a chicken.

_He always wanted to kiss me, always wanted me._

_He was afraid of ruining our friendship._

…_you look great…_

_The way he looked after me…_

…_baby…sweetheart…_

One of the biggest signs should have been the night he stayed and took care of me and the following morning when I noticed how bruised and battered his hands were. _Cleaning up a mess…_I knew he was talking about handling Jake. His knuckles were obviously recently split and shredded. They didn't get like that from just taking out the trash.

God I was so stupid! It was all there, playing back in my head like an eighty-eight millimeter movie in my head. He had always liked me, he really did! But I couldn't understand _why_! He really gave me no indication that he cared for me as more than a friend. My god, the signs were all there, had always been there. He was never just trying to protect me.

More than that, _could he actually be in love with me?_

I took extra time and paid careful attention to my appearance. Alice had found a gorgeous cobalt blue strapless dress during one of our shopping trips and begged me to buy it. She said it was a fabulous find because the dipping neckline showed off my shoulders and the knee length skirt enhanced my legs. I left my hair down for the most part, pulling the sides back in a jeweled come and letting it drape over my shoulder. I went soft and subtle with my makeup, heaven forbid I end up in tears again and look like a raccoon.

Was this considered a "date"? _A date with Edward_. My stomach was a mess of butterflies and I felt like at any moment I would throw up the contents of my stomach on some poor, unsuspecting hotel employee as I made my way to the elevator.

I thought that maybe I had something on my face or that maybe my dress was tucked into the back of my underwear because I kept getting stares as I walked through the lobby to the restaurant. It was unnerving to say the least, so I made a quick trip to the lobby's restroom to check myself in the mirror just to see that nothing was amiss. _Huh._

Edward looked amazing in his suit, though truly he looked amazing in anything he wore. He greeted me at the entrance to _Valle Flôr_ in a dark gray, slim-fitting suit with a crisp white shirt and gray tie underneath.

"May I?" He extended his hand to me and when I placed my hand in his he settled it in the crook of his elbow and we followed the maître d' to our table. Edward excused him from his duties and pulled out my chair himself before sitting across from me.

Reaching for my hand across the table, he linked his fingers with mine and gave them a slight squeeze. "You look devastatingly beautiful tonight, sweetheart. I'm very glad you chose blue."

"I don't really think you gave me much choice in the matter." I could feel my cheeks pink on the dim lighting of the room. "Though you didn't quite come out and say it, you were particular about what to wear."

His resulting smirk made me swoon and I could feel the slight blush deepening. "Well, blue suits you."

"Can I ask you a dumb question?"

"Shoot."

"Do I look funny or something?" He started to laugh, and I yanked my hand from his and started twisting the napkin in my lap. "Edward, be serious."

He took a sip from his water glass and cleared his throat. "No, you don't look funny at all. Why would you ask that?"

"The entire ride down here and even walking through the lobby, I got this weird feeling that everyone was watching me like I looked stupid or something. I even stopped in the ladies room to make sure my dress wasn't tucked up in back."

He was fiddling with the different pieces of the place setting as he answered. "For starters, you don't look stupid; you don't see yourself very clearly. And secondly, you were right about people watching you. If you could see all the men in this room looking at my gorgeous date, you'd understand why I want to poke out every eye in the room with this shrimp fork right now," he said, his fist clenched around the cutlery.

I was speechless. I took a chance and snuck glances around the room. It was unsettling, to say the least, to see that Edward was correct in his observation.

As if sensing my discomfort, Edward let me know he had already taken the liberty of ordering dinner for us. "I want to see if I learned anything from you this past week."

He did a fantastic job selecting our dishes for dinner. We enjoyed _O Leitãoas_, or suckling pig, as a starter and _Bacalhau de cura Portuguesa_, a Portuguese cod-fish dish, we finished with some macaroons and coffee.

"As much as I'm enjoying our dinner together, Bella, I know we have a lot to talk about. Why don't we take this upstairs where it's private? Would that be okay with you?"

I nodded, set down my coffee cup, and dabbed at my lips with my napkin and set in on the table. "That-that actually sounds like a good idea."

Edward gestured to the waiter to bring our check. He gave the waiter his card, and whispered something in his ear. With a curt nod, the waiter ran to the register and had Edward's card back to him faster than I'd ever seen a waiter move. Edward stood and walked around the table, to help from my chair. Taking my hand in his, he led me from the restaurant, through the lobby, and to the elevator.

I had a feeling it was going to be a long night.

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**I know I promised this on Friday (and it's still Friday here!) but I do realize this is much later than usual. Monday is full of revelations. Hope to see you then! Please review!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

**Disclaimer: Twilight and its characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. This story however, is mine, and all similarities to real persons are just that—similarities. Hope you enjoy this journey with me.**

**So… Huge apology due. This was supposed to have been up last Monday, but little hands got ahold of my laptop and it took a few days to get fixed up pretty. Then the whole house got the creepy-crud and well, there you go. Once again I apologize and hope the length of this makes up for it.**

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_God, how I loved her in blue_. Her luminescent ivory skin glowed like the moon in the table's candlelight as she sat across from me. I couldn't help glancing around the restaurant that there were a lot of other diners watching as we walked in and I helped her to her seat. It took everything I had to not rip the eyes out of everyman in the place for looking at _my Bella_.

I knew the conversation we were going to have to have tonight shouldn't be had in a public restaurant, so I suggested we go back to the suite and deal with last night's revelation in private.

Dressed once again in our pajamas, I wanted to make this situation as comfortable for her as possible. I had asked the waiter to have someone send up some port and snacks, figuring it would be a long night and we would need the sustenance to get us through it.

I poured a glass for myself and handed the another one to Bella as I sat next to her on the couch in the front room.

She was curled up around a throw pillow on the couch, one leg drawn up to her chest while the other hung off the floor. She was drawing circles on the carpet with her toes, quietly sipping as I sat on the other end from her, not wanting her to feel uncomfortable with what I was about to say.

"So," she said, staring at me from across the cushions. "Let's get this over with already."

"Ok, well, I guess I should start with- ah, fuck." I ran a hand through my hair and took a long gulp of the syrupy wine. "Do you remember that day at the beginning of your sophomore year when that girl pushed you up against the lockers and spit in your face? The one with the frizzy hair?"

"Do you mean Jessica Stanley?"

"Yeah. You know her boyfriend, Mike Newton, was on the basketball team with me, right?" I took another big gulp of my drink. "I overheard him with some of his buddies while we were dressing out in our gym clothes about how he told Jessica that he caught you always mooning over him. He was always trying to find ways to keep her jealous and attentive. Anyway, she was pissed, so he encouraged her to go after you to teach you a lesson.

"That was the day I knew that it wasn't just a super-hero complex anymore when it came to watching out for you. I was angry, _so angry_, that someone would be blatantly mean and want to cause anybody physical harm, cause _you_ physical harm that I-"

"That you what, Edward? What did you do?" She gasped as realization dawned on her. "His broken nose and hand? That was you!"

I nodded. "That was me," I sighed. "That was the moment I realized that I was falling for you. Your wit, your smile, your voice… All of it just called to me and I'm ashamed to admit that it took me so long to realize it."

Bella drank deeply from her glass of port, practically finishing it. She waved at me to get her another and I got up from the couch and refilled it. "That was way before Jake ever asked me out, Edward. Why now? Here?"

I spun the stem of the glass between my fingers, watching the red liquid ooze up and down the slides of the glass as it swirled, trying so desperately to not look at her as I confessed. "I guess life has a funny way of making you realize that you have to just grab it by the horns and hold on for dear life. If what went down at _'Lucky's' _had never happened, I probably would have never told you my real feelings for you. If I never told you, I would probably have let you go on with marrying Jake."

"Gah! Edward, you make no- _fucking_ sense at all!" she exclaimed. Clearly frustrated, Bella slammed her partially filled wine glass down on the coffee table, the liquid sloshing over the side, and started pacing the room while fisting her hair in her hands. "How long have we known each other?"

"Um, over twenty years, give or take a few-"

She stopped pacing and practically stomped over in front of me and leaned down, hands on her knees, so she could talk directly to my face.

"And in all that time, Edward, _all that time_, you wait until now to tell me this! On what was supposed to be my honeymoon!"

"Hey, Bells, hold up. I-"

"Shut up, Edward!"

"Okay, shutting up now."

She straightened up, put her hands on her hips and took a deep breathe to calm herself down. "I need you to explain something to me. How is it that you could want someone like me, when you made it _a point_ to date tall blonde big-boobed bimbos? Those two things are completely opposite of each other."

I looked up at her, standing there in all her fury, and she had never been more beautiful to me. Her hair was wild, her cheeks were flushed, and she radiated raw emotion, but in that moment, she was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.

"There is an explanation for that," I said hesitantly. "If you noticed, up until that point, I dated all different kinds of girls. Smart ones, dumb ones. Tall ones, short ones. Red heads, blondes, brunettes. But after my little…epiphany, if you will, I made it a point to date the complete opposite of what you represented. And I don't mean physically, but intellectually. They just all happened to be blonde with…big boobs."

I stood, tall and proud in front of her and reached for her hands, linking our fingers together, as I hunched over to see her face. "No one else has ever challenged me the way that you do. Do you know how much I love our little trivia tournaments? There's no one else that can match me in wits, smart-ass comebacks, or random facts about the stupidest things."

I reached my fingers for a lock of her hair, twirling around my fingers. "No one else has ever compared to you in my eyes. You're the strongest, proudest, most wonderful woman in the whole world to me, and no one else can ever touch that, not even my baby sister," I said with a smirk.

She giggled. "I guess we should keep that to ourselves then, huh?" She let out a long stream of air from between her lips. "I have a little confession of my own to make here too, since we're baring our souls to each other and all."

She tugged my fingers to sit down next to her on the couch and turned to face me, tucking her leg beneath her. A blush crept across her cheeks and down her chest as she began.

"Ever since I was a little girl, you were always the one to come to my rescue when I needed it. The bullying and teasing were always hurtful, but you always stood up for me and became my knight in shining armor."

Tracing circles in the palm of my hand with her fingers, her voice became so quite I had to strain to listen to her as she continued. "When I was about seven, I started developing this… crush… on you and it just kept growing and growing inside me until Jake came along." She shook her head, as if in disbelief. "Alice knew of course, but I swore her to secrecy. I remember following you around like a little lost puppy.

"Jake was what I thought I needed after being in love with you for so long that I couldn't see anything in my life without you. It was like I had blinders on and couldn't see the world around me. When he started pursuing me, asking me out, I was flattered that any boy could ever see me as a part of his life other than as a friend. By the time I finally said yes to Jake, I figured that what I felt for you was just a school-girl crush and that nothing could ever come of it. Basically, it all came down to the fact that I would rather have you as a friend in my life, if nothing else.

"That's the reason why it took me so long to say yes after three years of him proposing. That and I knew what he was like when I wasn't around. The girls were never that big of a secret. I just accepted that that was way Jake was and nothing I could do would ever change that."

I smiled at her admission. I stopped her fidgeting by grasping both of her hands in one of mine. "Sweetheart, if I knew then what I know now, things could have been much, much different." I nudged her chin up to look at her full on in the face. "Much different."

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**Don't forget that you can follow me on twitter stephabelle77 or on tumblr .com. I love chatting with my readers!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

**Disclaimer: Twilight and its characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. This story however, is mine, and all similarities to real persons are just that—similarities. Hope you enjoy this journey with me.**

**I know it's short, but it's sweet. Have faith, dear readers!**

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I looked up into Edward's eyes and saw a wave of emotions threatening to crash.

"How different?" I asked

Scooting closer to me on the couch, he released my hands, sliding them up my arms to my elbows, my shoulders and cradling my head in his hands.

"I just want to try one thing," he said. "Just stay very still." I took a deep breath, nodding at him.

He leaned in towards me and I couldn't help myself as I rose up on my knees to get as close to him as possible, my hands moving to his head to draw his face closer to mine.

My heart was ready to burst as he leaned in closer to me. "Don't move."

So slowly, like the way the port dripped and swirled around the glasses we had been drinking from, he pressed sweet chaste kisses to my temple, my eyelids. His eyelashes feathered across my nose as he drifted down place more kisses across my cheek. I whispered across his lips as he ghosted them across my face. _"More."_

Gripping my hips with his fingers, he pulled me into him, my legs falling to either side of his hips as he moved me to straddle his lap. The heat of his hands was seeping through the thick material of my flannel pajama bottoms, a wave of heat spreading form the spot where his fingers lay and across my abdomen.

His hands ghosted around my back and up my spine thread his fingers through my hair, drawing my lips closer to mine. Warm, pillowy lips caressed mine, moving so slowly, so chastely, it made me impatient for him to just _do something_.

I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, my fingers running through the fine downy hair on the nape of his neck forcing his lips harder against mine. I'd waited too long for something that could be so right to wait for him anymore. I wanted it and I wanted it now.

The harder I pressed my lips against his the more they opened against mine. I slid my tongue between my lips against his, letting him know it was okay to take it further. My tongue met his, a tangled taste of sweet potent port exaggerated across my tongue by his warm, steamy breath. Lips nibbling, tongues twisting, pure magic.

_More, more, more._

I grabbed his hands as I broke the kiss and slid off his lap and stood, pulling him up with me and walking backwards towards the bedroom.

"Bells," he said, a warning growl issuing from his lips. "What are you doing?"

I tugged a little harder on his hands as we got closer to the door. Reaching up to pull his face down to mine, I stood up on my tip-toes and planted a wet sloppy kiss on his lips. With what I hoped was a sexy smirk at him, I threw the words he'd said to me just a day ago back in his face.

"Take things into my own hands, for a change."

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**Only three more chapters! I promise something great next week; see you all Monday!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

**Disclaimer: Twilight and its characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. This story however, is mine, and all similarities to real persons are just that—similarities. Hope you enjoy this journey with me.**

**I hope this lemon satisfies!**

* * *

His eyes burned with an emerald fire as he followed me into the dimly lit room. I stopped when the back of my knees hit the edge of the bed, and reached for his shirt. I grasped the hem, my knuckles tracing over the contours of his abdomen and chest as I as I slowly raised it over his head and dropped it on the floor. I let my fingers lightly rest on his shoulders as he traced the curves of my waist and hips with his hands, bunching the material of my tank top as his hands continued their exploration.

With a look of determination, he released the clip still holding my hair, then grasped my shirt and wrenched it over my head, letting everything fall from his hands to the ground beside his shirt. He teased the waistband of my pajama bottoms, inching it down slowly, ever so slowly, until they dropped to the floor in a pile of soft flannel at my feet. I stepped out of them, kicking them to side as I reached for the waistband of his matching bottoms, pushing them down around his hips and letting them slink to the floor next to mine.

We stood in front of each other, perusing the revealed flesh before us. My heart pounded in my chest, an explosion of nerves taking up residence in my stomach as he ran his fingers through my hair, smoothing it out of my face and down my back. I watched as his eyes drifted down from my face to my breasts concealed behind black lace and further down before I brought my hands from his shoulders to cover myself in an act of desperate modesty.

He whispered as he moved my hands from where they hid my body, "Don't hide from me, Bells."

"I'm not hiding, I'm just embarrassed"

"What in the hell do you have to be embarrassed about?"

"I'm not perfect." I tugged my hands from his, looking down at my pudgy body and grabbing my stomach. "See this? This is what I am. There's no reason for you to want me the way you say you do."

He tipped my chin up to look at him. "No one is perfect. I'm not perfect. You're not perfect. But you're perfect for me."

He kissed me then, sweetly, chastely, before deepening the kiss and moving his lips to my ear. "You are the one I want, the one I've always wanted. Can't you just let go and love me back the way I love you?"

Humming electricity danced across my skin at his mention of the L-word. "Love?"

He smiled serenely, leaning down toward me until our foreheads touched. "Yes, love. It's the only word I know to describe this feeling I have for you. Pure, unadulterated love. Will you let me love you?"

I had no words. I was stunned speechless. I had to show him how much that one simple word meant to me. Confusion and worry clouded his face as I took a small step back, but when he saw what I was doing, his eyebrows rose and he bit his bottom lip as I looked up at him, a slow smile crossing mine.

I reached behind me, undoing the hooks on my bra and letting it drop. I reached for his hands, placing them on my breasts. "Touch me."

His tan fingers traced the light blue veins hidden under my pale skin as he gently caressed and teased around my breasts. His hands grew more sure with each pass as he firmly grasped each one in his hands and his breaths started coming in heavy gasps.

He nudged his hips against mine and I fell back to the bed as he kneeled before me. He nestled himself between my thighs as I sat on the bed before him. He nuzzled my neck with his lips as his fingers continued to stroke my sensitive skin, the nerves in my body zinging at the intimate contact.

His lips nibbled at my ear as he whispered, "Please let me love you."

I dragged myself out of his embrace and moved further back on the bed, encouraging him to come with me. He kneeled on the bed between my legs, nibbling and sucking at my nipples, then he drew a path with the back of his fingers between the valley of my breasts and further down until he ghosted his fingers over the sides of my underwear, slipping his fingers underneath and slowly dragging them down my legs.

He scattered kisses across my stomach and my thighs, drawing closer and closer to the place I wanted him to be. His warm breath wafted across my skin as he slowly moved his mouth lower and placed a kiss, his fingers stroking in the spot where I needed it the most. His tongue travelled across the slick flesh, his shoulders wedged between my thighs to keep me from slamming them against his head. I grasped the comforter in my hands bucking my hips against his mouth.

I wasn't beyond begging as I felt the tightening in my thighs spreading up through my body. _"Pleasepleasepleasepleaseplea se. So close…don't stop…" _I moaned as I watched him watching me from between my legs. Time both slowed and sped up, lights flashing before me as I clenched my eyes oh so tight against the oncoming wave that wracked my body from head to toe.

After what seemed like both seconds and hours, I felt Edward hovering over me, whispering. "Shh, come back to me sweetheart. We're not done yet."

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**Stop throwing tomatoes at me! I needed a reason for you to come back! Tweet me at stephabelle77 or follow me at stephabellaff dot tumblr dot com. It's safe, I promise!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty One**

**Disclaimer: Twilight and its characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. This story however, is mine, and all similarities to real persons are just that—similarities. Hope you enjoy this journey with me.**

**More sweet lemony times ahead. Let's get in Edward's head, shall we?**

* * *

Her fingers were clenched so tight in the blankets that her knuckles had lost all color and faded to white. Looking up at her from between her legs while she writhed on the bed was an experience I would never forget. Her hair lay around her head slipping and sliding like silk as she writhed. Her final undoing came as she arched her back off the bed, her legs slipping from around my shoulders as she clamped down around my head. I gentled my movements as she clenched her knees harder against my ears, trying to get her to come down from her high.

She eventually relaxed her legs enough for me to slip out from in between them as she rolled to her side, knees drawn up to her chest. I slipped my boxers off and climbed up the bed to lay behind her, running my hands up and down her arms, her shoulders and across the back of her neck, tangling my fingers in her hair. The taught creases around her eyes began to relax as I whispered to her.

"That's it. Shh, come back to me sweetheart. We're not done yet."

I turned her body to lay flat on the bed as I rolled a condom on and hovered over her, settling my hips against hers. She opened her eyes, those gorgeous deep brown eyes, and looked up at me. I wanted to ask if she was ready, but with an imperceptible nod of her head, I knew we would be okay.

Her hands were resting on either side her head on the pillow so I laced my fingers with hers as I slid into her warm, wet heat. It was amazingly comfortable, no awkwardness or feelings of inadequacy at all. It was like coming home.

Her scent surrounded me. Warm sweet wine mixed with her musky scent intoxicated me as we moved slowly together. Slipping in an out as she leveled her hips against mine with each shallow thrust, she sighed each time I moved in and out. When I finally slid all the way in, her hips rose off the bed to meet mine.

I leaned back on my knees, drawing her up with me and into my lap as she straddled me. She started kissing me across my face, rubbing her hands across my jaw and up into my hair as she pulled me closer to her, smashing her voluptuous breasts between us. I licked her fingers as she ran them across my lips, my fingers twirling her loose curls as formed a curtain around our faces.

My hands automatically went straight for her breasts as she rode me. I loved the feel of her satiny skin and the weight of them in my hands, warm and heavy as she bounced. My hands were searching for all the skin I could find, never lingering any one place for very long as I stroked them over her shoulders, her back and down to her ass. I sucked her bottom lip between mine as I kissed her, her eyes growing heavier each time she rolled her hips against me. She turned her face so suck the skin of my wrist as I held her head in my hands. She leaned closer, crushing herself against me as I moved to nuzzle my nose against the sweet spot behind her ear, licking and sucking and breathing in a scent that was pure Bella. Her sighs and mewls grew louder as I moved my lips to her breasts. She wrapped her arms around my head, holding my face to her chest as she continued moving over me.

I took a nipple in my mouth, sucking nipping and licking as her breathes grew heavier and more staccato. Squeezing and pulling both of her breasts together as I ran my lips across the tops of both while my thumbs ran tight circles across her nipples before sucking each one into my lips as they pebbled beneath my tongue.

I slipped off of my knees to scoot back against the headboard and sit on the bed cross legged as she rode me in full abandon, completely oblivious to my movements.

I kept one of her heavy breasts in my hand as I moved my other to her ass, palming and squeezing her cheeks as her body jerked. I grabbed both of her ass cheeks in my hands as I slid down to lay under her, her hands reaching for the headboard for balance as she came. The most glorious blush spread from her face to her chest and I came quickly after she did, roughly grabbing her hips as I thrust for a final time up into her.

She collapsed on top of me and I wrapped my arms around her, rolling us to our sides as slipped out of her. I kissed her now puffy red lips as I moved off the bed to clean up. After returning from the bathroom, she curled up next to me, her head resting on my shoulder as he threw and arm across my chest and a leg over my thigh.

"Edward?"

I was too spent to speak, so I mumbled at her in answer.

"Will it always be like this?"

"Like what, sweetheart?"

"Like… I feel safe with you. Like I can do anything and everything all at once and never worry about—"

"Stop." I kissed her scalp, inhaling and reveling in the fresh scent of her shampoo mixed with sex. "Remember what I said earlier? You are perfect for me."

"Edward?"

"Yes?" my breath huffed out, trying to contain my laughter.

"I love you too."

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**So I know I said that there would be one more chapter after this, but really there will be one more chapter PLUS an epilogue. I got a last minute inspiration earlier this week! Leave me some sweet reviews, please or look me up on Twitter at stephabelle77. See you all next time! XOXO**


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty Two**

**Disclaimer: Twilight and its characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. This story however, is mine, and all similarities to real persons are just that—similarities. Hope you enjoy this journey with me.**

**Back to Bella.**

One year later

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Edward?"

We were sitting in the office of a real estate agent at Pacific Properties, ready to sign papers to buy our first home together.

Edward looked at the agent and asked for some privacy. She nodded, and left the room, closing the door behind her.

"Come here," he said setting down the gold pen he'd been twirling between his fingers and patting his lap. I got up from my chair and sat in his lap, his arms coming to wrap around my waist as he set his chin on my arm and looked up at me.

"I love you, right?"

I nodded.

"And you love me too, right?"

I nodded again.

"In just a few weeks, you are going to be my wife. So, yes, I do think this is a good idea."

I took a deep breath at his words. _His wife_.

Never in a million years would I have though that my life would turn out the way it had. After we returned from Portugal, we started establishing a routine where our nights were no longer spent alone. He would sleep at my place for a week, and then we'd rotate and sleep at his the next. Eventually, more and more of my stuff ended up at his apartment because I was spending more time there than at mine. Edward was put off by the fact that Jake used to sleep there, and in the same bed we slept in, but so did the fact that the same things had occurred at Edward's apartment. That's why we were buying our first home together now. And a new king-size bed.

The house we decided on was a beautiful mid-century Craftsman style home overlooking Lake Washington. With four bedrooms, a fully remodeled kitchen and office space, it was the perfect place to start our lives and our family together. My favorite part of the house by far was the covered deck overlooking the lake from the second story. Just imagining sitting out there with Edward and our kids while we read or played board games while watching the rain fall just set my heart soaring. Edward was more interested in the private dock and boat house. He was currently researching how much jet skis would cost and current insurance rates for them.

He wrapped a hand around the back of my head and brought my lips to his in a kiss, breaking me from my wandering thoughts about our soon to be new home. "I was sure about you, Bella, once I decided to make that leap. That was like jumping the Grand Canyon. This? This is like stepping over a crack in the sidewalk."

The agent knocked on the door and poked her head around. "You two okay? Ready to continue?"

I smiled down at Edward and then looked at the agent. "Yeah. Let's do this."

With a week left until the wedding, we were finally moved into our new home. As if purchasing and moving into a new home along with planning a wedding weren't stressful enough, Edward, Alice, and Jasper decided it was time to open a second club they called _"Casbah". _Where _"Lucky's"_ catered to the whims of the everyday American male, _"Casbah"_ was more eclectic in its Mediterranean décor and featured dancers. The dancers at _"Casbah_" were all trained belly dancers, each one having to fulfill the requirement of being able to do the Dance of the Seven Veils. The club was a beautiful, mesmerizing, and sometimes erotic night spot to hang out at.

Alice and I had been crisscrossing Seattle to find a tent to get married under in case of rain. Though the wedding was scheduled to be in the park-like setting of the yard overlooking the lake, and the weather looked to stay relatively clear for the next week according to the long range forecast, you could never be too careful. Unfortunately, we had yet to find a tent and Alice was having a freak-out.

"That dress! That beautiful dress I had created for you will be ruined, just ruined!"

"Um, Alice?"

"Don't you understand what it took to get that done in time? The bitching and complaining I had to put up with from my dancers because their costumes were delayed so I could make sure you had the most beautiful wedding dress ever?"

"Alice…"

"And all to be ruined by a freak rain storm? _No!_ No, I will not allow it! If you have to get married in a fucking Coleman tent, you will not get rained on in _that_ dress."

"But Alice, rain at a wedding is good luck."

"I don't give a flying flip of a fuck if rain is good luck, Bella! No way is that dress getting ruined. Not on my watch!"

Thanks to Alice's connections, she had recreated my Portugal date night dress into a wedding gown. Of course it wasn't blue like the original, but it was an almost exact copy of the original, except it fell to the floor with just enough of drape to swish across the ground as I walked; I just shrugged at Alice as she continued to rant about rain.

"Is your sister still going 'bridesmaid-zilla'?"

"It's pouring down like cats and dogs outside, of course she is!" I could hear Edward's laughter from the other side of the door, imagining Alice running around in her dress and rain boots, having a complete mental breakdown.

"Just one more hour, Edward, and then we can be done with all the crazy." I was slumped against one side of the bedroom door while Edward was on the other. He drummed his fingers along the wood in a staccato rhythm while he hummed. "_Here Comes The Bride?"_

"What other song would be more appropriate right now? Wait, how about this one?" He tapped his fingers against the door again, this time the humming _Singing in the Rain_, throwing me into a fit of giggles as I sat on the floor in my favorite green fuzzy robe. "Better yet, this one. Look out the window, Bells."

It took me a minute, but I recognized the tune. "_Here Comes the Sun_? Much more appropriate." I could see the backyard and the lake through the bedroom window, bathed in sunlight as the downpour came to a stop. I sighed as I heard stomping coming up the stairs from the other side of the door. "I take it your sister is on her way up?"

"Yep. Are you ready, sweetheart?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"I'll see you soon."

"I'll be the one in white!"

"Bella, I love you. With all of my heart and all of my soul, I love you forever. I can't wait to call you my wife."

Alice and I had to practically wade out to the ceremony site in the backyard. All of the guest were standing in their wedding finery, with dresses hiked up and pant legs rolled, but seeing Edward at the end of the dock waiting for me in his tux and bare feet made the ugly black rain boots worth it.

"Do you, Edward Cullen, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

My heart sped up as he answered. "I do."

"Do you, Isabella Swan, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I most assuredly do!" Laughter rang out across the lawn at my answer as a huge smile broke out on Edward's face.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Edward Cullen!" At the minister pronouncement, the skies opened up and proceeded to drench the entire crowd. Edward picked me up, swung me around and planted the biggest kiss as the rain resumed.

I watched as the rain drops coursed over his eyes and dripped off of his nose as leaned in to kiss me over and over. "Rain is a good sign, right?"

I held his face inn my hands as kissed him all over his face. "Good fortune. Always."


End file.
